Ben Finegold, 40, is the first grandmaster in residence at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. One of the 25 ranked chess players in the U.S., Finegold is moving here from Ann Arbor in his native Michigan, his base while previously playing in competitions and giving private lessons.

What’s your first task here? Figure out where I can best be used. There’s going to be a lot of different things to do: visiting schools, private lessons, lectures.

Who got you interested in chess? My dad taught me when I was very small. He’s a chess master as well. My brother is a chess master. I grew up in a chess family.

What attracts you to chess? It’s really a good thinking game and a good social game. You get to travel a lot and meet people. Also, it’s a different game every time.

What do you do in your spare time? I’m also a bridge master. I like to play both. I’m just more serious about chess. Bridge is more relaxing to me. I used to play a lot of golf and tennis, but I’ve been focusing on chess.

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